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2019 Mazda6 Skyactiv-D diesel caught in spy photos

We get it – we're a little sick of getting a few years of assurances that Mazda's much-anticipated diesel engine is just around the corner. First, it was going to go in the 2014 Mazda6, then it was delayed. More recently, Mazda told us it'd first land in the CX-5 – and in fact, there's a part of the Mazda USA website devoted to the diesel crossover, which makes it seem more legitimate than previous pronouncements. But the fact of the matter is, there's some unforeseen hiccup in the government approval process for this engine, likely centered around emissions standards, and it seems to be dragging on. But this Mazda6 was spotted at an EPA facility in Michigan, which gives us some hope that perhaps the company is rounding the final base on the approval process. It looks very much like an American-spec Mazda6 to our eyes ... except for the strange, possibly temporary exhaust outlets, which might be required for EPA testing. The rear looks like a current-look car, rather than the revised 2018 styling that will get the 2.5-liter turbocharged gas engine. Since the Mazda6 was originally supposed to get the Skyactiv-D engine, we can only assume that if it's at an EPA facility, Mazda is hoping to bring it to market here – likely sometime after the CX-5 goes on sale. If Mazda can get approval, it'll be another point of differentiation between the Mazda6 and its competitors – there's no currently-approved diesel sedan that's a direct match. The smaller Cruze and larger, more expensive offerings from BMW and Jaguar are about it. The fuel economy guide (PDF) produced by the EPA back in late 2017 lists both the CX-5 and the Mazda6 as having diesel engines, but neither are rated, and as we know at this point, neither are on sale or have an official timeline for doing so. We can assume anything with an application in progress made it on the list, whether approval would be granted or not. It seems unlikely at this point that Mazda would abandon the Skyactiv-D in America. It's a solid part of their strategy, although a product roadmap released a few months ago shows that Mazda expects diesel sales globally to taper off after 2020, to be supplanted by plug-in gas hybrid, EV, and fuel cell vehicles. But between now and about 2030, pure diesel cars are expected to be a small but significant portion of Mazda's product mix. We hope this means we'll see the CX-5 emerge from the approval process and hit dealer lots soon, to be followed by the 6.

Sweating the small stuff | 2017 Mazda CX-5 First Drive

The 2017 Mazda CX-5's door handles got their own design study. They got their own graphs, maths, and a team of people scientifically analyzing how humans interact with them. There was a whole to-do. And yet, you look at them back-to-back with their predecessors, a Spockian eyebrow reaching to the stars, and wonder what all the fuss was about. But apparently they're better. They're also perfectly illustrative of the entire effort to re-engineer and improve Mazda's best-selling model. At first, the 2017 Mazda CX-5 seems like a sensible evolution of its well-loved predecessor – there's sexier styling, a more premium cabin, and additional features, but the dimensions and engine specs look awfully similar. It certainly looks like one of those "the old car's great, let's not overthink the new one" redesigns. Except it isn't. Dig deeper and you'll see just how much meticulous work – from the door handles to the throttle response – went into making the new CX-5 a crossover that thoroughly trounces the majority of its competition. Take the efforts to make it quieter. According to Mazda's internal measurements, the sound-quelling improvements made for the CX-5's 2016 refresh already made it one of the quietest compact SUVs on the market. That apparently wasn't good enough. To what seems like an absurd degree, Mazda's engineers obsessively examined every nook, cranny, corner, and crevice to sniff out noise and eliminate it. Gaps were filled, insulation was injected, seals were added, air was redirected, glass was double glazed, and carpet replaced plastic coverings. It would seem that the Society of Persnickety Engineers is well represented at Mazda HQ. "I'm not sure how they found some of these," said Mazda vehicle development engineer Dave Coleman with a shake of his head, almost amused by the obsession and dedication of his colleagues across the proverbial hall in the sound-deadening department. (He goes over many of their enhancements in the video below.) And it worked. The new CX-5 is indeed incredibly quiet, even on San Diego's notoriously loud corrugated concrete freeways. It is quiet for a Mazda – a brand previously known for the exact opposite – and the entire segment. Even the fairly quiet 2017 Honda CR-V we drove on the same freeways on the way to San Diego couldn't match it. Actually, much of the driving experience can't be matched by a competitor.

Yes, the Mazda BT-50 pickup is real. No, you can't get one.

Mazda exited America's pickup segment when it deep-sixed the Ford Ranger-based B-Series after the 2009 model year, but it remains committed to the body style overseas. The third-generation BT-50 introduced online wears an unusually stylish design for a global truck, while its interior looks and feels more car-like than before. The BT-50 is based on the Isuzu D-Max, but the familiar shield-shaped grille hides the common DNA well. Horizontal slats and a thick chrome frame create a visual link between the pickup and members of Mazda's line of sedans and crossovers, while stylists gave the rear end more utilitarian-looking lines characterized by vertical lights. The variant depicted in Mazda's images is an upmarket trim built for users who need a rugged daily driver, and more basic versions that feel at home on a construction site will ship will inevitably look a lot cheaper. It measures 208 inches long, 74 inches wide, and 70 inches tall when buyers select the double-cab model and order four-wheel drive. These figures give it a footprint almost identical to the four-door Ranger's. Inside, the BT-50 shares some parts with the D-Max, including its 9.0-inch touchscreen and its HVAC controls. Motorists in global markets are increasingly using pickups as daily drivers, so Mazda chased this trend by adding more technology and safety features to the BT-50. Those willing to climb the trim hierarchy are rewarded with conveniences like an eight-speaker stereo, digital gauges, automatic headlights, parking sensors on both ends, and dual-zone climate control, among other features. Mazda wants to peg its truck a little bit higher than Isuzu's. The only engine detailed by the firm is a 3.0-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel built by Isuzu and tuned to deliver 190 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and 332 pound-feet of torque from 1,600 to 2,600 rpm. Rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission come standard, and motorists can pay extra for four-wheel drive, a six-speed automatic, or both. It's reasonable to assume a smaller, entry-level turbodiesel will join the range later on. With the 3.0-liter, the BT-50 can haul 2,347 pounds, and its towing capacity checks in at 7,716 pounds. That's more than enough to tow an enclosed trailer, your stripped-out Miata, an extra set of slicks, and a boxful of tools. Making your dreams of Mazda-Mazda towing come true will require moving far overseas, because the Japanese company isn't planning on returning to America's pickup segment.